Controlling device for electric circuits



C. VERRANDO.

CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE I, 1920.

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CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 1 1922,

Application filed June 1, 1920. Serial No. 385,873.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, CARLO VERRANDO, a subject of the King of Italy, and resident of Turin, Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in'Controllin Devices for Electric Circuits, of which the ollowing is'a specification.

This invention relates to devices for controlling electric circuits at regular and adjustable intervals of'time for the purpose of obtaining the periodic operation of apparatus of any kind and has for its'object a device by which the controlled apparatus may be put in operation automatically at properly spaced intervals and the time elapsed between subsequent operations may be adjusted at will.

The device according to this invention is adapted to control apparatus of any kind which must operate at proper and adjustable intervals as lighting and projecting apparatus, illuminated advertisements, recording apparatus, apparatus for producing optical and audible signals and the like; this device of their parts as by pu is also useful in connection with cameras mounted on aircrafts for takin a series of photographs of the land over w ich the aircraft is travelling without requiring the pilot to pay particular attention to the camera.

The device according to this invention comprises means operating themechanism of the controlled apparatus in a regularsuccession so as to put the same in operation at intervals spaced apart from each other by even-intervals or distances, as well as means for adjusting the operating device to vary the time elapsing between the subsequent operations of the apparatus.

The device according to this invention ma be used in connection with apparatus and cameras of any known type and adapted to be put in operation by the shifting of one ling out or pushing in a member of the mechanism of the apparatus.

An embodiment of the device according to this invention is hereinafter described vby way of example in connection with a camera but it is to be understood that the same apparatus may be used in connection with devices of any kind without departing from this invention.

In said drawing Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the device with some parts in section; Figure 2 is the development in a plane of the surface of the controlling drum. In the construction illustrated the device comprises a drum 1 driven b means of gears 11" by a proper motor M say by aclockwork. I

This motor may be of any proper kind and may also be enclosed withinthe drum, the speed of the motor and the transmission ratio must be such as to cause the drum to rotate with an uniform angular speed.

The wall of the drum is made of a band 2 of insulating material in which are embedded contacting plugs 3. leading to a conducting layer 4; said plugs are arranged in rows lying on parallel circles of the surface.

member 5 is connected with an endless band 6 arranged over two rollers 7 and operated by a pinion 8 having teeth engaging perforations of said band as well as a controlling handle 12. v

The conducting layer- 4 of drum 1 is connected with one of the terminals of a source of current as a battery B and the other terminal of said source is connected with the contact member 5 through a circuit comprising an electromagnet 10 and a switch 9. The

armature 11 of the electromagnet is intended to engage and shift the parts giving rise to the operation of thecamera button 13 of the camera C.

Instead of controlling directly the operating member ofthe camera said armature 11 say the push.

could also control an intermediatedevice, as

a relay, which in turn actuates said operating member.

he operation is as follows: when it is desired to put the camera in o eration, the drum is rotated by the motor and the contact member 5 is carried in register with the circular row of plugs 3 in which the plugs are spaced from each other at a distance adapted to produce the operation of the camera at the desired ntervals.

Then the switch 9 is closed and thus when the drum 1 in its rotation ca; ies one of the plugs 3' into contact with member 5, the circuit of battery B is closed and the electromagnet 10 is energized. The armature 11 is therefore attracted and it operates the camera to take one view.

On the contrary when the contact 5 bears on the insulated surface 2 of the drum the circuit is open and the armature 11 is released, the camera being thus left out of operation.

By the described device the. camera is antomatically controlled and operated at regular intervals of time to take views, without requiring any particular attention or manipulation by the pilot.

As shown by Figure 2 the plugs 3 are arranged in circular rows on the drum and the plugs of each row are spaced at equal distances this distance bein different in the several rows so that by shifting the contacting member along the drum and by carrying it into register with one of said rows, the operation of the camera may be obtained ever one or two orthree seconds, etc. as desire this depending upon the distance between the plugs of t 1e row and the speed of the drum which is assumed to be uniform.

The operation of the camera may thus be obtained at evenly spaced times without requiring the particular attention of the pilot who has only to set the contact member 5 in the proper position according to requirements and to close the switch 9 when he de' sires to take views.

It is to be understood that the described construction may be modified in a number of manners, say instead of the drum as illustrated the device may comprise a disk of insulating material having contacting plugs embedded therein, the contact member being in this case mounted to be shifted along a radius of said disk.

\Vhat I claim as m to secure by United cut is A device for controlling an electric circuit at regular and adjustable intervals of time comprising a rotary member, having an insulating portion, means for driving said member with constant speed, a common conducting part, a plurality of rows of contact parts inserted in said insulating portion and invention and desire States Letters Patall connected with said common conducting part, said contact parts being spaced at regular distances from each other in each row, a contact finger adapted to engage said contact parts and an endless band carrying said finger and mounted in front of and across said rows of contact arts for shifting said contact finger, the e ectric circuit in which this controlling device is inserted having one pole connected with said common conducting part and the opposite pole connected with said contact finger.

Signed at Turin, Italy, this 12 May 1920.

CARLO VERRANDO. 

